Category: Menstrual Health

WHO Updates Contraceptive Eligibility For Women At High Risk of HIV

Michael Gwarisa

WHO has changed its recommendations for progestogen-only injectables and intrauterine devices (IUDs) for women at high risk of HIV from a Category 2 to a Category 1. Additional clarifications are provided for the IUD recommendation. These recommendations stem from a meeting of the Guideline Development Group at which a wide range of stakeholders were represented including experts in family planning and HIV, representatives from affected populations, clinicians, epidemiologists, researchers, programme managers, policy-makers and guideline methodologists. The Group reviewed evidence on hormonal contraception and HIV acquisition published since the previous review…

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Mthuli Ncube Urged To Review Sanitary Wear Prices In Supplementary Budget

Kudakwashe Pembere

SANITARY  Aid Zimbabwe Trust has implored Finance Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube to at least address the astronomical prices for sanitary wear when he presents the Mid-Term Fiscal Review and Supplementary Budget. By Kudakwashe Pembere The organisation said since December last year, prices for sanitary pads have risen by 800 percent making the product more of a luxury than right. Sanitary Aid Zimbabwe executive director Theresa Nyava said, “As Sanitary Aid Zimbabwe Trust, we acknowledge that the 2019 National Budget scrapped VAT and customs duty on selected imported sanitary wear products…

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Sanitary Wear Prices Go Berserk

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PRICES of sanitary wear remains beyond the reach of many women in Zimbabwe, despite the government’s move to scrap import duty on the commodity in order to make it more affordable. SOURCE: ZBC News The development has forced women to resort to the use of unhygienic alternatives, hence exposing them to cancerous and other health related hazards. A snap survey carried out by ZBC News revealed that the cheapest pack of sanitary pads goes for close to ZW$12, while expensive brands are pegged at ZW$20. Women who spoke to ZBC…

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Cultural Beliefs Hamper Uptake of Alternative Menstrual Health Products

Michael Gwarisa

LACK of information, coupled with strong cultural beliefs around virginity and womanhood have slowed down uptake of alternative menstrual health products in marginalised communities. By Michael Gwarisa Most young girls and women in rural and other marginalised communities in Zimbabwe lack access to affordable and safe sanitary care products. Over the years, various companies in Zimbabwe have come up with innovative means of managing menstrual health in the form of menstrual cups, menstrual pants and reusable sanitary pads. In an interview with HealthTimes, United Nations Population Fund   (UNFPA )…

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SAZ Launches Reusable Sanitary Pads Standard

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THE Standards Association of Zimbabwe (SAZ) has introduced a new standard, ZWS 1023 which will facilitate the production of quality and safe reusable pads in the country, HealthTimes has learnt. By Michael Gwarisa In an interview with HealthTimes, SAZ Standards Development Manager, Ms Romana  Marunda said this standard covers the manufacturing and performance requirements for sanitary pads. “The national standards ZWS 1023: Reusable sanitary pads was developed by a technical committee composed of several stakeholders. It outlines:  general requirements for factories and employees manufacturing sanitary pads, requirements for sanitary pads…

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Why The Butterfly Cup Is The Best Alternative?

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MANY young women in Zimbabwe struggle to manage their menstrual life owing to a plethora of challenges. In most cases, girls in communal areas use rags, mattress stuffing, grass or even cow dung to stop the flow of blood. This can be  extremely stressful and draining. To support women and young girls from the stress associated with menstruation, many alternatives have been introduced. However, from all these choices, The Butterfly Cup has emerged the much sort after alternative. Here is why!!! The answer is a mix of health, safety and…

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The History of Menstrual Cups

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THE Menstrual Cup is not a new phenomenon. In as much as the idea is fairly new in Zimbabwe and only came onto the picture in 2016 after being cleared by the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) to be distributed by The Butterfly Cup Company, the menstrual cup is actually and tried a tested method of managing menstrual hygiene in the first world countries. So the first big question one might have in mind is “Where have these amazing devices come from? The first menstrual cup to be…

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When can you use a Butterfly Cup?

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The Butterfly cup is designed to give you the best experience, no matter what your lifestyle. By creating a seal with the wall of the vagina, the Butterfly Cup holds menstrual blood inside the body. This means there is no odour and no leakage. Combine this with the length of time a Butterfly Cup can be kept in place without needing to be emptied; 8-10 hours, and it is easy to see that the Butterfly Cup is able to support most women in most situations. Whether this is a lady…

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Will Using a Butterfly Cup Break The Hymen?

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Today, science informs us that some girls are born without a hymen, that it can be so stretchy as to not break, even during penetrative sex or fragile enough that it breaks during regular exercise. The hymen has relatively few blood vessels and so bleeding is not guaranteed, even if it is broken during sexual intercourse. Just like so many other parts of our anatomy, the hymen comes in many shapes and sizes. Every girl is different. This means that whilst using a sanitary product that is inserted like a…

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Deforestation Threatens Traditional/Modern Medicines Future

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CONTINUED depletion of vegetation for industrial, domestic and agricultural purposes, poses a great threat to the existence of traditional and scientific medicines, as they both rely heavily of biodiversity for medical sources, a top Traditional medicines practitioner has said. By Michael Gwarisa In an interview with HealthTimes, Zimbabwe National Practitioners  (ZINIPA) founding President, Mr  Friday Chishanyu said the destruction of vegetation was forcing traditional medicines practitioners to travel long distances in search of medicines. “The issue of deforestation is not affecting traditional medicines alone but both scientific and traditional medicines practices…

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